The FBI‘s incorrect use of surveillance powers on an unnamed U.S. Senator; state lawmaker; and even a judge has been documented by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), which found the bureau conducted four “Section 702” information queries into the figures who alleged civil rights violations.
FBI officials argue that Section 702 allows them to spy on their “highest priority work,” including China, Russia, and terrorism and cybersecurity threats, without needing to seek a warrant. But there is deep concern about its use as a “backdoor tool” for collecting information on Americans.
President Biden hopes Congress will renew Section 702 after it is set to expire at the end of 2023, with Democrats and Republicans alike announcing they will not go ahead with any renewals without “significant reforms.”
“The FBI continues to break the rules put in place to protect Americans, running illegal searches on public officials including a U.S. senator, and it’s long past time for Congress to step in,” argued the deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)’s National Security Project, Patrick Toomey.
“As Congress debates reauthorizing Section 702, these opinions make clear why fundamental reforms are urgently needed,” Toomey added.